


between us

by zimtlein



Series: keeping it (together) [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Awkwardness, Multi, Pining, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22683913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zimtlein/pseuds/zimtlein
Summary: When talking about a friendly get-together, this isn’t what Sonia had in mind.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan/Sonia
Series: keeping it (together) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1644730
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	between us

Sonia can’t remember ever being in a restaurant as fancy as this one. She feels terribly underdressed, keeps tugging at her shirt, hopes it doesn’t show too much skin. Her makeup isn’t done as properly as she would like it to. Every time Leon’s glances brush her, she feels like deflating a little bit more.

The waiter looks at her. She doesn’t know if it’s impatience shining in his eyes, or if she is just imagining things.

“Uhm, that one.” She points at the menu. The waiter leans down, inspecting the chosen item.

“Boeuf Bourguignon? Excellent choice, Miss.”

The sounds he made don’t fit the letters she pointed at. She nods weakly. “Thanks,” she adds.

Raihan keeps looking at her as he orders. At least his Kalosian is better than hers. When the waiter is gone, she begins to fidget.

“Not what I was expecting,” she confesses.

“His idea.” Leon points at Raihan. In response, Raihan shrugs.

“Because that’s the way to impress ladies. Making an effort.”

“You didn’t have to impress me,” she says. “We’re friends, after all.”

Maybe she said something wrong. Their reactions are odd – the way Raihan smiles at her, the way Leon clears his throat and avoids her eyes. She goes through her words again, but finds nothing weird. The atmosphere makes her fingers twitch.

“I feel rather intimidated, frankly,” she says. A pause as the waiter brings them their drinks. Red wine for both Leon and her. Raihan ordered a glass of water. “It’s almost like you chose the most expensive restaurant in Wyndon.”

“We did,” says Raihan.

She gapes at him. “Thanks for looting my wallet. I’m no popular trainer like the two of you are.”

Raihan waves her off. His amusement doesn’t make sense. “It’s on us.”

“I can’t –”

“Don’t worry about it.” Leon’s smile is stiff. “We invited you, so it’s on us.”

She bites the inside of her cheek. No matter how long she looks at Leon, no explanation pops into her head. He can’t even hold her gaze properly.

“It’s weird. This is absolutely weird,” she says.

“You think?” Raihan asks.

“Yeah. We never did this. We never went to expensive restaurants. You remember when Leon lost all his money to some blokes close to Spikemuth? We lived off Magikarp and chips for one week. Out of solidarity.”

“‘Cause both of us were too cheap to help Leon out,” Raihan chuckles.

With a snort, Leon leans back. “I do remember.”

“And that one time when Leon ended up in a Kantonian restaurant in Hammerlocke?” Raihan pokes him in the side. They share a smile. “You ordered a starter, then went up and running when you realized how pricey it was. Left your food there, on the spot.”

Memories she doesn’t recognize. She thinks it was Motostoke where their ways mostly parted, and it was Wyndon where they spent more time with each other again. She watches their meaningful looks.

“You remember that little place close to the Battle Café? Not far away from here?” she asks.

Raihan turns to her. “With those milkshakes? Bloody delicious.”

“Is it still open?” says Leon.

“We could find out.”

Her words leave silent looks. A mischievous smile appears on Raihan’s lips. He is the first one to stand up, taking his coat and slipping into its sleeves. Hastily, Sonia does the same. Before any waiter can spot them, they make their way towards the exit, their steps quick, but not too hasty.

They manage to make their escape. An autumn breeze greets them. Their steps become quicker, turning to a light jog, then to a run. Sonia’s earrings are clinking. People look at them funnily. She doesn’t care. At some point, Leon and Raihan get ahead, leading the way. She looks at their joined hands, listens to the laughter they share.

It takes them until the eastern bridge before they begin to slow down. Her breathing is quick, her heart is pounding.

Raihan looks over his shoulder. “Didn’t think you’d do it. Miss Well-Behaved got some bottle, eh?”

“Always did,” Leon laughs, throwing his head back.

The sound makes her heart flutter, and her chest feel heavy.

The place is still open. It’s near Wyndon’s river, tiny and easy to miss. Fast food and milkshakes – it doesn’t really offer much else. Sonia orders chips, Raihan and Leon order burgers. They pay for her, even though she protests.

As soon as they sit down, Raihan starts picking tomatoes from between the bun, handing them to Leon. They start bickering until Raihan convinces the other to cave in. Sonia wonders if it’s always Leon who eventually caves in, or if she just doesn’t understand their relationship. If she doesn’t want to.

She eats a chip.

“Should have gone here from the start,” Leon notes.

“I meant well.” Defensively, Raihan raises his hands. “Wanted to offer you only the best, Miss Brainy.” She doesn’t know what to do with the wink he sends her.

“You’re feeling especially flirty today, aren’t you?” She nods at Leon. “Don’t make your boyfriend jealous.”

Again, odd silence. This time, she can’t keep quiet about it.

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

Raihan takes a bite of his burger and keeps looking at her. There’s something scrutinizing about the way he does so. She resists the urge to look away.

“I think it would be an unpleasant date,” he says, words slow, “if none of us were to flirt.”

She doesn’t find it funny and laughs anyway. “Right. Can’t wait for the part where we lovingly gaze into each other’s eyes.” She holds herself back from clearing her throat. The image is a bit too much to handle.

Raihan grins. “I bet the best part will be kissing your pretty lips.”

Sonia stares at him, unmoving. “Uhm, yeah. Too much, Raihan.”

She begins to think there’s something about this exchange she doesn’t quite grasp. Especially when Raihan keeps looking at her like that. She directs a glance at Leon, but he’s still staring at his burger, his eyebrows knitted.

“Sorry,” Raihan says. “We’ll start slow. Is handholding okay with you?”

A sudden thump. Sonia jolts. Across from her, Leon has smashed his hands onto the table. “For god’s sake,” he flares up. “Look at her. She’s at a complete loss. I told you this doesn’t make any bloody sense!”

“Thought you don’t get the wind up about a challenge,” Raihan says, unblinking.

“You’re making her uncomfortable.”

“Your outburst makes her even more uncomfortable.”

Sonia watches them. The chips in front of her are getting cold. “Look,” she tries. “If you need some time for yourselves, then just say so. Your invitation was lovely, but if you prefer to meet up some other time …”

“No.” Leon wrenches his head around to her. Befuddled, she realizes that his cheeks are turning pink. “I’m sorry. We are sorry. We shouldn’t have …” He swallows down his next words, and Sonia is left gaping at him.

“You shouldn’t have what?”

“Christ,” Raihan mumbles to himself, propping his head on his hand. “What Leon is trying to say here: this is a date.”

She blinks. “I am sorry for imposing, then. But you could have told me so sooner.”

Leon gives an incoherent grumble and gestures between the three of them. “No. This. This is a date.”

She stares, then nods. Lifts a chip to her lips and bites. Chews, slowly and thoroughly. Two sets of expectant eyes are set on her, and Leon is blushing. His lips are quivering the tiniest bit. She tries to taste saltiness on her tongue and can’t. A tasteless mixture. The tips of her fingers feel icily cold.

“That’s not funny,” she finally says.

“Good,” Raihan answers. He seems entirely unfazed by the whole situation. “It isn’t meant to be.”

She nods again. They are almost alone in here. Nobody is really watching. She isn’t sure if nobody recognizes the men in front of her, or if everyone does and no one wants to be impolite. The most popular couple of Galar. One year and going strong. No one was surprised about their announcement back then. She wasn’t either.

“I don’t understand,” she confesses.

“We want this to be a date,” Raihan clarifies.

She waits for something else. Something to make sense of this conversation. When nothing follows, she stuffs a handful of chips into her mouth and tries to think less. Her cheeks are heating up. Her hands feel useless. She chews, swallows, looks at Leon.

“Was that his idea?” she asks.

Leon looks at her for a long time. His face is beet red. “Yes.”

“Did he –”

“Frankly, I was glad he suggested it.”

She can’t think. “Please excuse me for a minute,” she whispers, and stands up. Her chair clatters over the floor. She goes outside, leans against the wall. Lays her hands on her hot cheeks. The autumn sun is warming her. She pats her cheeks, waits for the dream to finally end. Nightmare. Dream. She doesn’t know. She can’t even imagine it. Since the moment the two of them became a couple, Leon has been a distant dream. A thing of the past. No matter how many soft smiles he sent her, how many soft words he directed at her. And Raihan? It’s not like she finds Raihan unattractive.

But it doesn’t make sense.

She pats her cheeks again and reenters the pub. Concern shimmers in Leon’s eyes as she sits down.

“Listen, Sonia,” Leon says. Now that there’s an inkling of hope, just a tiny sprinkle, her name on his lips makes her shudder. “I understand if you’d rather forget about all of this. We’ll stay friends. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that things won’t get weird between us.”

How can they not? She looks from Leon to Raihan and finds a glint of amusement in blue eyes.

“Or you grasp this opportunity.” He shows a toothy grin. “Let us show you exactly how much we care for you.”

The obscene undertone makes her blood sing. She tries to control her quivering jaw.

“This is the first time we are spending a proper afternoon with each other in two years,” she says. “I’m not sure how much you really care for me.”

It wasn’t supposed to be a reproach. Raihan and Leon exchange a look. The latter eventually reaches for her hand, touching it gently. She jolts. His fingers are shaking, she notices.

“It wasn’t easy,” says Leon.

“But kind of cute,” Raihan adds.

She has no idea what Raihan means, so she stays quiet, staring at the hand above hers.

“So what do you say?”

Leon is looking at her. She tries to wrap her head around it, around the suddenly seizable chance. Her tongue moves on its own, even though her thoughts are still not catching up.

“All right. This is a date, then.”

Whatever this is, it ends at the door to Leon’s flat. No handholding, no kissing, and Sonia is glad. She doesn’t know what she would have done had one of them tried to touch her. They walked, and talked, and it’s unclear to her just what made this a date, exactly.

That is until they come to a halt in front of the door.

“Thanks for today,” she says. It feels awkward. She tries to smile. “I enjoyed it.”

“I’m glad,” Leon replies with a soft smile. “You’ll come in, right?”

It’s late in the evening. The implication isn’t lost on her. She wills her cheeks not to warm, but they do so still.

“You don’t have to, of course,” Leon quickly adds.

Raihan shrugs next to him. “We’d like you to, though.”

“Don’t push her.”

“I’m not pushing. I’m suggesting.”

She’s so nervous that a clumsy laugh escapes her. “That’s, uhm. A classy lady waits for the third date.”

“I think,” Raihan says, one eyebrow quirked, “we know how classy you are by now, Miss Smartypants.”

“Also,” Leon raises his hands, “we won’t lay a hand on you.”

“Unless you want us to,” Raihan adds.

A groan follows. “You’re not making this any easier, Raihan.”

There’s something reassuring about Leon’s bashfulness, and something undeniably nerve-racking about Raihan’s bluntness, and she bites her lip. “All right. I’m coming in.”

Both of them look at her, an equal amount of surprise on their faces.

“Don’t make it look like you expected a different answer,” she mumbles.

With a wordless smile, Raihan unlocks the door for them. The flat is smaller than she expected, and surprisingly ordinary. Not very tidy either, but she doesn’t mind. Leon gives her a little tour, showing her every room. His voice is soft, quieter than she is used to. She can’t help but watch him. Study his profile, his chest, his arms. It’s surreal to realize that she is allowed to think further, that there is a distant possibility of those arms holding her, those lips kissing her.

“You aren’t listening,” she hears him say.

With a start, she tries to sort out her thoughts. “I am sorry. What did you say?”

“That you aren’t listening.” He sounds amused.

“I am so sorry.”

“Don’t worry. There are more exciting things than looking at my untidy apartment, I reckon.” He laughs, scratches the back of his neck. She can’t stop thinking about his lips. Her heart is pounding too fast.

“He wants to do it too, you know,” Raihan says behind her. She almost forgot about him, and his sudden voice makes her jump.

“Do what?” she asks without looking away from Leon.

His laugh subsiding, Leon looks at Raihan, then lowers his gaze. A moment passes. She doesn’t allow herself to go that far.

“Kiss you,” Raihan finally says. “The two of you are hopeless.”

She shudders. The sudden urge to laugh can’t be smothered. “I thought we’d start with handholding.”

But then Leon’s eyes are on her again, more intense this time. She finds herself rooted to the spot. Unable to move as he steps a bit closer. He’s taller than her, and she wants nothing more than to bury her hand in his hair and pull him closer.

Then she remembers that his boyfriend is watching them, and things get weird again.

“Are you,” she starts and interrupts herself. “Are you really sure you …”

“Yes,” Leon mumbles. He cups her cheeks. It feels like she is melting, dwindling in endless thoughts. A shaking breath escapes her. He is as warm as she always imagined.

For a moment, she sees his eyes drift to Raihan. Then back to her. She didn’t think it possible, but the fact that Raihan is still standing behind her, watching everything they are doing, is making a hazy feeling cloud her thoughts. Slowly, Leon leans closer, giving her all the time in the world to back away.

She doesn’t.

Sonia almost feels like crying when warm lips brush hers. Sweetly, purely. A touch so light she yearns for more. She doesn’t know how many years it has been, how many men couldn’t replace him, how many times she lay in bed crying, and she grabs his shirt and pulls him closer again, slamming her lips onto his. A surprised sound comes from him, but then he complies to her demanding touches. An arm wrapping around her waist, quashing the distance between their bodies. Her hands slide lower, to his chest, splaying over his muscles. The little sound he makes in the back of his throats threatens to make her legs give away.

She suddenly remembers the third person in the room. Something inside her holds her back with gripping intensity, and she breaks their kiss, turning her head to look at Raihan.

“Oh,” he says. “Don’t stop on my account.”

“Are you really okay with this?” She is aware that she is digging her own grave, but the words slipped from her mouth too quickly.

Raihan quirks an amused eyebrow. “Aren’t you?”

Leon’s arm is still around her, his body too close to her own, and she feels herself blush. “I – yes? I think – I don’t know, but are you just – you just want to watch?”

“You don’t want him to just watch?” Leon asks huskily.

She blushes even harder. She doesn’t know what this would entail, and she replies before she can think too much. “I wouldn’t mind either way.”

Raihan gives a thoughtful sound. Then he steps closer to her. “Very generous of you.”

She doesn’t know what to do with this comment. Before she can answer, he grasps her chin. He is taller than Leon, towering over her like a giant, and she has to tilt her chin up to even attempt to look into his eyes.

“You won’t regret it,” he adds, a dark promise in his eyes.

The kiss is sudden. Different than Leon’s. There’s more fire to it, more passion to the way Raihan immediately slips his tongue between her lips. She feels helpless as he tastes her, as he traces her teeth and the roof of her mouth and moves his lips over hers. The wet sounds echo in her ears. She has no time to catch her breath as he dives down again, biting her lip so hard she shivers all over. Leon’s hand is still on her waist. Her reactions cause his fingers to dig harder into her skin. She sighs shakily.

Raihan backs away a bit, tilting her head to study it from every angle. “Cute,” he simply states. From the corners of her eyes, she can see Leon staring at her.

She can’t breathe properly.

“I told you that would be fun.” With that, Raihan lets go of her. Instead, he turns to Leon, grabbing his face and roughly pulling it towards him. Sonia feels dizzy as she watches them. It’s a sloppy kiss, mouths moving over each other with seemingly no goal in mind. Leon is groaning into his boyfriend’s mouth when Raihan grabs the back of his head, pressing him closer. The rougher Raihan gets, the stronger the grip on Sonia’s waist becomes.

When he eventually lets go of Leon, she realizes how hard she is panting. It’s a bit embarrassing. The heaty look both men send her makes her forget all shame, though.

“He’s waited a long time for this, you know.” Raihan steps behind her again, his hands coming to rest on her waist. They slowly travel upwards, leaving a trail of fire on their way. “Always tried to hide it from me. But we both know how easy he is to see through, don’t we?”

“You’re being embarrassing,” Leon huffs. Then he directs his gaze at Sonia. “You are okay with this, aren’t you?”

She is just about to give an affirmative sound when lips, hot and wet, latch onto her neck. Instead, a strangled moan escapes her. Involuntarily, she arches her back, her body brushing Leon’s.

“I’m sorry,” she says quickly. If she could, she’d hide her face behind her hands, but she is caught between the two of them, unable to move.

Leon is staring at her. His jaw is clenched. His hand on her back dips just the tiniest bit lower. “Don’t be.”

“Really don’t.” Raihan laughs. He comes closer until she can feel the heat of his body against hers, his lips travelling over her skin with light touches.

She feels her reservations melt away bit by bit.

Leon’s bed is impressively huge, and yet she can’t sleep. Next to her, Leon breathes evenly. Nothing happened, not really. They made out, and she was too tired to get a flying taxi at that time of night. That’s all. Thinking about more than that – about them actually sleeping with each other – is too abstract a thought to her.

As quietly as possible, she slips out of bed and pads into the living room. She pulls a few pieces of clothing from the couch and lies down. It’s comfortable enough. The smell of Leon’s T-shirt, too wide on her body, fills the air around her. Just as she is about to fall asleep, a sound makes her open her eyes and turn her head.

Raihan is looking at her out of bleary eyes. “Sorry,” he says. “Wanted to make sure you are all right. You need some more blankets?”

She shakes her head and sits up, yawning. “Sorry if I woke you up.”

For a moment, Raihan stays where he is. Then he walks around the couch and sits down next to her. It’s a bit weird to think that they kissed. Raihan and her – kissed. Made out, even. Touched each other. She never considered him more than a friend, no matter how attractive he is.

“You are kind of staring,” he states.

“Sorry,” she quickly says, her cheeks warm.

“Not opposed to it. You are cute, after all.”

She doesn’t know what to say and blushes even harder.

He regards her for a second. She feels nervous and fidgety underneath his gaze. “I’m not used to it either. Having a third person in our bed. You are not the only one at a loss here in some respect.”

“It’s,” she begins, but the right words won’t come to mind. “I’m not sure what to think.”

He nods.

“Are you really willing to share him like that?”

Only after having said it, she realizes that her words might be insensitive. It’s too late to take them back, though. They are not close enough that their knees touch, and yet Sonia feels herself shiver from head to toe.

“I don’t think of it as sharing. I think of it as enabling him to choose us both instead of having to only choose one of us.”

That doesn’t sound that better. She frowns.

“And,” he looks at her, “it’s not like I don’t get it. You are pretty, after all. Smart.” A grin. “Really cute when you’re blushing all over.”

She snorts. “Right.”

“I mean it.” A hand on her cheek directing her gaze towards him. She isn’t used to eyes that seem to devour her, to words that trickle down her spine with delicate airiness. “Leon is not the only one infatuated with you.”

Her heart flutters. There is something oddly enticing to the way he watches her reactions. His thumb traces her jaw, her lower lip. Slowly, carefully.

He withdraws his hand.

An odd want throbs inside her. Something she isn’t familiar with, ending in a sudden decision. She leans forward, her hands on his shoulders, and kisses him. After a second of hesitation, he returns the gesture and takes the initiative, pressing his lips against hers harder.

Then her rational thoughts catch up to her again, and she breaks the kiss as quickly as she started it, drawing her hands back.

Raihan tilts his head at her.

“I just,” she blurts out. “You are a good kisser. I’m sorry.”

His head still tilted, he puts a hand on her knee, stroking it with feathery touches. “Why are you apologizing?”

Her eyes dart to the bedroom door. He follows them, then looks back at her, a quiet laugh filling the air.

“He doesn’t have to be with us, you know.”

“Oh,” she says.

He seems to study her. She wants to wince underneath his eyes. “Think of it like this,” he says, laying his hand on the back of her neck without pulling her closer. “You’ve got him, and you’ve got me.”

The hand slowly slips to her throat. The touch is so intimate her whole body starts trembling.

“He’s got you, and he’s got me,” he continues.

The hand travels lower, over her sternum. Her heart is beating beneath his hand.

“I’ve got him.” His words have become a whisper. She releases a breath, feels fingers wander even lower. His eyes never let go of hers. A small smile plays over his lips. “And I’ve got you.”

Then he withdraws his hand, and stands up.

“You deserve some rest, Miss Brainy,” Raihan yawns. “Good night.”

She is left staring at the darkness, wondering about her beating heart, pressing her thighs together in a feeble attempt to lie to herself. She wonders if this is who she is. Who she is supposed to be.

She lies awake for hours until she finally manages to fall asleep.

_how about another date, miss clever clogs? leons already missing you xx_

Sonia stares at the text. Bites her lip. Looks at the clock.

_well pick u up. u free at 4pm?_

She sighs, types in an “okay”, and puts her phone away, joining Hop in the room next door.


End file.
